For Dr. Nannette Glenn, education is second nature. After almost 30 years of working in higher education, Dr. Glenn has brought her passion for teaching and training to Dallas where she was named dean of the College of Graduate and Professional Studies at Abilene Christian University in January 2021.
Dr. Glenn earned her Ph.D. in general special education and her Master of Education in multicultural special education from the University of Texas at Austin, as well as a Master of Science in education entrepreneurship from the University of Pennsylvania Graduate School of Education/Wharton School.
Dr. Glenn started her career as an elementary school teacher and has worked her way up through a variety of different roles in both traditional and online higher education. More recently, Dr. Glenn was the vice president of academic affairs and chief academic officer at Argosy University in Dallas before joining ACU.
While she has worn multiple hats throughout her impressive career, we sat down with Dr. Glenn to learn what drives her as a person, her vision for online education and what makes Abilene Christan University different from other universities. Read on to see how Dr. Glenn will be using her new role to help move ACU Online forward.
Abilene Roots
Growing up an Abilene native, Dr. Glenn first fell in love with the education system based upon the influence of her mother and father who both worked for AISD schools. Her father served as a high school counselor and a middle school principal, and her mother served as an elementary school teacher and counselor. During their careers, Dr. Glenn’s parents both worked with many ACU alumni. She recalls that ACU always had a notable reputation and when the position for dean opened, she knew it would be a great opportunity to be at an institution that encouraged her faith and practice in mentoring students and faculty members.
Mission Minded
From a young age, Dr. Glenn felt a strong pull from the Lord that education was what she was called to do. From working in public K-12 education, public and private higher education, education consulting, serving the Texas Education Agency and beyond, all of her experiences have led her to this position. “At this level, there is so much influence that you have with students, faculty and colleagues,” Dr. Glenn recounts. “It’s what I’ve always loved to do.”
Dr. Glenn’s vision for her role and ACU’s online programs is growth – in students, programs, and faculty development. “There are so many adults who are going through life and some people need an online education to fulfill the goals they have.” Her main focus is on growing the different types of programs the university offers in order to help others advance their careers. She also enjoys working with faculty to help them achieve the goals they are seeking. “We are all created by God and it’s our goal as those who are of Christ to help others see Jesus – what we do in our lives has meaning.”
One way Dr. Glenn wants to give back during her time with ACU is to expand the university’s partnerships with other businesses, non-profit organizations, K-12 schools and various colleges. She also would love to see ACU serve internationally. “Growing international programs is something that I can see in the future,” she reflected.
The ACU Difference
For Dr. Nannette Glenn, one of the biggest contrasts between ACU and other universities is the uniqueness that the school possesses and that the world needs to see. With the dynamic of education changing due to the Coronavirus pandemic, Dr. Glenn believes that one central theme that reigns true between colleagues and student relationships is grace. The constant source of positivity through this community is something she has found rare.
She feels so blessed to wake up every morning and do what she loves. As she settles into this job, she said creating a welcoming environment is of utmost importance to her. She wants students and faculty to know that they can reach out to her, talk and pray with her when needed. “I want to promote ACU in a wonderful way and whatever way I can be helpful to others, I’m here to do just that.”
Loving Life
When Dr. Glenn is not in the office, she loves to craft, read, and antique. She spent her early life traveling with family and loves exploring where things come from and how they influence the future – a curiosity that instilled her love of learning. She currently resides with her husband in the Dallas area where they strive daily to be the heart, hands, and feet of Jesus as they help to serve those around them. This year, Dr. Glenn’s son and daughter-in-law will be expecting their first child, making her a grandmother for the first time.
Dr. Nannette Glenn is an exceptional addition to ACU and we can’t wait to see how her role will help influence learning for years to come. For more information on how ACU Online’s admission advisors can help you pursue your career goals, contact us at 855.219.7300 or acu.edu/online.